Swimming exercisers

ABSTRACT

A PAIR OF ROTATABLE ARMS, EQUIPPED WITH UNIVERSALLY MOUNTED HAND GRIPS, ARE MOUNTED ON TRANSVERSELY SPACED SIDE MEMBERS OF A FRAME SO THAT A USER STANDING BETWEEN THE FRAME SIDE MEMBERS AND FACING TOWARD THE FRONT OF THE FRAME MAY REVOLVE THE ARMS IN A MANNER SIMULATING ARM MOVEMENT WHEN SWIMMING. THE ARMS REVOLVE IN OBLIQUE PLANES WHICH ARE FORWARDLY CONVERGENT AND UPWARDLY DIVERGENT RELATIVE TO THE FRAME, THE FORWARD CONVERGENCE AND UPWARD DIVERGENCE OF SUCH PLANES BEING ANGULARLY ADJUSTABLE. THE TRANSVERSE SPACING OF THE FRAME SIDE MEMBERS IS ALSO ADJUSTABLE, AS IS THE DISTANCE OF THE HAND GRIPS FROM THE AXES OF ROTATION OF THE ARMS. FREE REVOLVING MOVEMENT OF THE ARMS IS RESTRICTED BY FRICTIONAL BRAKE MEANS.

March 20, 1973 K. c. KUSMER SWIMMING EXERCISERS Filed July 21, 1970 FIG2 lNVENTOR KASlMIR C. KUSMER mya iual All! PIC-3.4.

United States Patent 3,721,438 SWIMMING EXERCISERS Kasimir C. Kusmer,Aurora, 11]., assignor of a fractional part interest to Paul L. Romack,Aurora, 111. Filed July 21, 1970, Ser. No. 56,876 Int. Cl. A631: 69/10US. Cl. 272-71 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A pair of rotatablearms, equipped with universally mounted hand grips, are mounted ontransversely spaced side members of a frame so that a user standingbetween the frame side members and facing toward the front of the framemay revolve the arms in a manner simulating arm movement when swimming.The arms revolve in oblique planes which are forwardly convergent andupwardly divergent relative to the frame, the forward convergence andupward divergence of such planes being angularly adjustable. Thetransverse spacing of the frame side members is also adjustable, as isthe distance of the hand grips from the axes of rotation of the arms.Free revolving movement of the arms is restricted by frictional brakemeans.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in exercisingapparatus, and the principal object of the invention is to provideimproved apparatus which may be effectively employed to exercise hand,arm and body movements closely related to those involved in swimming. Assuch, the apparatus of the invention is intended to be used out ofwater, that is, on land or in the home, and while its primary functionis that of a simulated swimming exercise, the apparatus may also beemployed for body exercising purposes in general, whenever substantialcoordinated movement of the hands, arms and upper torso is considered tobe beneficial.

The apparatus of the invention is simple in construction and embodiesnumerous adjustment features to suit different conditions of exerciseand also different physical characteristics of various users. It isreadily portable, collapsible for easy transportation or storage, andlends itself to economical manufacture.

With the foregoing more important object and features in view and suchother objects and features which may become apparent as thisspecification proceeds, the invention will be understood from thefollowing description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein like characters of reference designate like parts andwherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the exercising apparatus of theinvention, taken from the rear thereof and looking forwardly in thedirection of a user;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view, taken substantially in the planeof the line 2--2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional detail, taken substantially in theplane of the line 3-3 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view showing a portion of one of thearms with the hand grip thereon.

Referring now to the accomapnying drawings in detail, the exercisingapparatus of the invention is designated generally by the referencenumeral .10 and comprises a frame 11 which may conveniently be made oftubular stock and which includes a pair of transversely spaced frameside members 12 and a frame front member 13, connected together bysuitable collars or bearings 14 so that the transverse spacing of theside members 12 may be adjusted by swinging the side members toward oraway from each other, as indicated by the arrows 15 in FIG. 1. The frameside members .12 are disposed in 3,721,438 Patented Mar. 20, 1973 icevertical planes and are forwardly convergent as shown, their angle offorward convergence as well as their transverse spacing being adjustableby virtue of their hinged connection at the bearings 14 to the frontframe member 13. Any suitable means (not shown) may be used to lock theframe side members 12 in their adjusted position.

Each of the two frame side members 12 has mounted thereon a rotatablearm 16, and inasmuch as the arrangement and mounting of these two armson the two frame side members is the same, apart from being left-handedand right-handed, a description of one will sufiice for both.

Thus, with reference to FIGS. 24 it will be noted that each side member12 has secured thereto a vertical tubular support 17 in which isslidably and rotatably telescoped a shaft 18, the latter being securablein an adjusted position by a wing screw 19. The upper end of the shaft18 is pivotally connected by a horizontal clamping bolt 20 to a lug 21at the center of a cross bar 22 which extends diametrically of and issecured to a ring 23. The cross bar 22 also carries a stub shaft 24,concentric with the ring 23, and the arm 16 is rotatably mounted on thestub shaft 24, as for example by a pin 25.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the ring and arm unit 23 and1 6 may be raised or lowered relative to the frame side member 12 byloosening the screw 19 and sliding the shaft 18 upwardly or downwardlyin the support 17, as indicated at 26. Also, the shaft may be rotated inthe support, as indicated at 27. Moreover, the ring and arm unit may betilted about the axis of the bolt 20 as indicated at 28 when the bolt20- is loosened.

The outer end portion of the arm 16 carries an adjustable hand gripassembly 29 consisting of a mounting plate 30 with two wing nut-equippedbolts 31 extending through a longitudinal slot 32 in the arm 16, wherebythe position of the hand grip assembly on the arm may be adjustedlongitudinally of the arm as indicated at 33. A disc 34 is rotatablyattached to the plate 30 by a pin 35 and this permits rotation of thehand grip about an axis normal to the arm 16, as indicated at 36. Thehand grip member 37 itself is rockably mounted by a pin 38- between apair of ears 39 on the disc 34, the rocking movement of the hand gripmember being indicated at 40.

A frictional brake designated generally as 41 is provided to restrictfree rotation of the arm 16 about the fulcrum pin 25, the brakecomprising a substantially U- shaped bracket 42 which is secured to anintermediate portion of the arm 16 as at 43. One side of the bracket 42has a curved portion 44 complemental to the outer periphery of the ring23, while the other side of the bracket carries a roller 45 whichengages the inside periphery of the ring. A bolt 46 extends through thetwo sides of the bracket and carries a compression spring 47, theresiliency of which is adjustable by a wing nut 48. The bracket 42 issufiiciently flexible so that the spring 47 urges the portion 44 intofrictional engagement with the ring 23, thus providing a braking actionfor restricting free rotation of the arm 16. As will be apparent, thefrictional effect or drag of the brake may be varied by adjusting thewing nut 48.

When the apparatus is to be used, the user stands between the two frameside members 12 facing forwardly in the direction of the frame frontmember 13, and the side members 12 may be moved closer together orfurther apart as at 15, as the user may desire. The two ring and armunits 23, 16 and 23, 16 may then be raised or lowered as at 26 to suitthe users height, and they may also be rotationally adjusted as at 27 sothat the planes of rotation of the arms 16 are forwardly convergent to agreater or lesser degree. Also, adjustment is made at the bolts 20 totilt the ring and arm units as at 28, so that the planes of rotation ofthe arms 16 are upwardly divergent to a greater or lesser degree.Finally, the position of the hand grips 29 on the arms 16 is adjusted asat 33 to suit the length of the users arms, and the friction brakes 41are adjusted to produce a desired amount of drag.

The user then may grasp the hand grips 29 and rotate the arms 16 asindicated at 49 and 50, while the arms are approximately 180 apart intheir revolving movement, thus producing movement of the users hands,arms and upper torso in a manner very similar to swimming. Thedisposition of the planes of rotation of the arms 16 in forwardlyconvergent and upwardly divergent relation is very important in enablingthe device to be properly used, particularly from the standpoint ofmovement of the users arms at the shoulders and it will be appreciatedthat as the arms 16 are rotated, the hand grip members 37 turn freelyabout the pins 35 and also may rock about the pins 38.

When the device is not in use, it may be easily transported or storedafter removing the ring and arm units by withdrawing the shafts 18 fromthe supports 17, and moving the frame side members 12 toward each otherinto a compact form.

While in the foregoing there has been described and shown the preferredembodiment of the invention, various modifications and equivalents maybe resorted to, falling within the spirit and scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is:

1. An exercising apparatus comprising an upstanding frame including afront frame member and a pair of transversely spaced side frame membersconnected to opposite sides of said front frame member and extendingrearwardly therefrom in mutually divergent relation, a pair of fulcrumpins mounted on the respective frame side members at a substantialelevation above the bottom of the frame, a pair of arms rotatablymounted on the respective fulcrum pins and rotatable through 360 inoblique planes which are forwardly convergent and upwardly divergentrelative to the frame, and a pair of hand grips provided on therespective arms.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 together with vertically adjustablemeans mounting said fulcrum pins on said frame side members.

3. The device as defined in claim 1 together with means for angularlyadjusting the forward convergence of the planes of rotating movement ofsaid arms relative to said frame side members.

4. The device as defined in claim 1 together with means for angularlyadjusting the upward divergence of the planes of rotating movement ofsaid arms relative to said frame side members.

5. The device as defined in claim 1 together with means for angularlyadjusting the forward convergence and upward divergence of the planes ofrotating movement of said arms relative to said frame side members.

6. The device as defined in claim 1 together with means pivotallyconnecting said side frame members to said front frame member wherebythe transverse spacing of the frame side members may be varied.

7. The device as defined in claim 1 together with means universallymounting said hand grips on said arms.

8. The device as defined in claim 1 together with means adjustablymounting said hand gri s on said arms at selected distances from saidfulcrum pins.

9. The device as defined in claim 1 together with friction brake meansfor restricting free rotary movement of said arms.

10. The device as defined in claim -1 together with rings mounted onsaid frame side members concentrically with said fulcrum pins, andfriction brake means provided on the arms and engaging said rings forrestricting free rotary movement of the arms.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,160,722 5/1939 Cunningham 27279R X 3,528,653 9/1970 Stuckenschneider et al.

27272 1,707,791 4/1929 Anderson 272-72 FOREIGN PATENTS 94,582 12/ l 896Germany.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner R. T. STOUFFER, Assistant ExaminerUS. Cl. X.R. 7272, DIG 3

